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Is the word tinha the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?

No

While the spelling, grammar, and basic meaning of "tinha" (the imperfect indicative of the verb ter) are identical in both dialects, there is a significant difference in typical usage. In Brazil, it is extremely common in colloquial speech to use "tinha" to express existence (functioning as a synonym for havia — "there was/were"). In Portugal, using "tinha" to denote existence is considered grammatically incorrect; Portuguese speakers strictly use haver or existir for that purpose. Additionally, there is a difference in how obligation is expressed: Brazilians typically use "tinha que," while the natural construction in Portugal is "tinha de."

Brazilian Portuguese natural usage:

  1. Eu tinha um cachorro muito pequeno. (I had a very small dog.)
  2. Tinha muita gente na festa ontem. (There were many people at the party yesterday.)
  3. Eu tinha que estudar muito para a prova. (I had to study a lot for the exam.)
  4. A gente tinha muita sorte no jogo. (We had a lot of luck in the game.)
  5. Você tinha me avisado do problema. (You had warned me about the problem.)

Continental Portuguese natural usage:

  1. Eu tinha um cão muito pequeno. (I had a very small dog.)
  2. Havia muita gente na festa ontem. (There were many people at the party yesterday.)
  3. Eu tinha de estudar muito para o exame. (I had to study a lot for the exam.)
  4. Nós tínhamos muita sorte no jogo. (We had a lot of luck in the game.)
  5. Tu tinhas-me avisado do problema. (You had warned me about the problem.)